Just As You Are Rainbow Sanctuary
823 Merchant St Thursdays 6pm - 9pm
Programs
Drop-in Center
Every Thursday from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm there is a space in the basement of First United Methodist Church where Rainbow Sanctuary meets. The drop in space is open to everyone in Lyon County and the surrounding communities. Join us for group conversations, puzzle and game nights, or just to sit and enjoy the company.
People are welcome to stay as long or as little as they like, with the main purpose of building connection, community engagement, and having a safe and sober space for individuals looking for a place to just be themselves.
Lending Library
Stories can be sacred, they remind us that our lives have meaning, that we are a part of something bigger, and that hope can be found even in the quiet corners of a book. Our LGBTQ+ Lending Library was created to share those stories. It offers a growing collection of queer-affirming fiction and nonfiction literature written for both teens and adults. Our shelves hold a small variety of memoirs, novels, and poetry that is open for anyone to come peruse and check out during active group hours.
Clothing Closet
Clothing is more than just fabric. It is safety, affirmation, and a way to show the world who you truly are, no one in our community should have to choose between survival and authenticity. That is the belief behind the Rainbow Sanctuary Queer Affirmring clothing closet.
The closet is for:
-
Trans and Nonbinary folks
-
Queer and questioning people
-
Allies who need affirming clothing
-
Anyone whose identity or expression has made other closets feel uncomfortable or unsafe
How it works:
-
Everything is free
-
Open Thurs 6p - 9p*
-
No referral, ID, or paperwork is required
-
If you would like help finding sizes, style, or outfits that feel right just let us know
-
Or browse on your own and take your time
What we offer:
-
Everyday clothing
-
Gender affirming shapewear
-
Professional and semi-formal outfits
-
Outerwear, shoes, accessories, and hygiene basics when available
*If you are in need and cannot make it to our open hours (Thurs 6p-9p) or would like a more privacy when looking through our closet, please reach out and we can find a time that works best for you.
Made Possible By Our Communiy
The Lending Library came to life through a generous $3,000 grant from the Trusler Foundation. We have dedicated $1,500 of that support specifically to building the lending library so that anyone in our community can have access to affirming books, free of charge.
Our LGBTQ+ clothing closet is made possible in part through the generous support from the Trusler Foundation, whose funding helps us provide a dedicated, affirming resource for our community.
It is also sustained by the many individuals, families, and local groups who donate gently used and new clothing. Every shirt, binder, pair of shoes, and winter coat on our racks represents someone in Emporia choosing to care for their neighbors.
If you would like to donate gently used LGBTQ+ books or media, clean, gently used clothing or new gender affirming items, please contact us or bring donations during our open hours.
